WHETHER, when making this lovely film, Emilio Estevez, writer/director/actor and son of the principal character both on and off screen, had in mind Sir Walter Raleigh’s lovely gentle poem “The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage”, written on the eve of his execution, is immaterial. But it is obliquely relevant to the film.

The poem is quietly, calmly religious. The film, about strangers who meet at the eastern end of the Camino de Santiago and develop friendship, understanding and endurance during the 800 kilometre westward pilgrimage to Compostella, where the body of St James reputedly lies in the Cathedral, is not religious.

But without proselytising or preaching, it says something that Christians, atheists and agnostics alike can value.

Wonderful simple characters, all beautifully played, take a journey through countryside filled with lingering images, meeting other pilgrims and local folk.

American Tom (Martin Sheen, Estevez’s father) in Spain to deal with his son Daniel’s accidental death on the first day of his pilgrimage, collects the ashes and on the moment decides to undertake the pilgrimage himself.

Joost from Amsterdam (Yorick van Wageningen) walking to lose weight, befriends Tom. Chain-smoker Sarah (Australian-trained and drop-dead handsome Deborah Kara Unger) joins the pair, determined to quit when she reaches the shrine. Irish writer Jack (James Nesbitt) seeks inspiration to guide him through writer’s block.

I would have been delighted if “The Way’, not shrieking any strident promotional claims but quietly meriting one as it rolls, had run longer than its two hours, as I expect thoughtful film-goers might agree after seeing it.

At Dendy